Tenses - Simple Tenses (Active)

TENSES - SIMPLE TENSES (ACTIVE)

​UEC ENGLISH WITH MISS ENG

​TENSES are important in English because they show the time at which something happens.

​In other words, any misuse of tenses will lead to confusion or misunderstandings.

​Mr. Tan goes to Japan annually.

ANNUALLY = every year = habitual action (习惯)

--> Simple Present

SINGULAR Subject + Simple Present

--> VERB + S / ES / IES

VERBS ending in "o" / "sh" / "ch" / "ss" / "x" + "ES"

e.g. does / washes / catches / passes / fixes

​Someone lit / lighted the firewood just now.

JUST NOW = 刚才= past action --> Simple Past

Both LIT and LIGHTED are the past tense of LIGHT

​They were late for school yesterday.

YESTERDAY = 昨天= past action --> Simple Past

BE + Simple Past

--> WAS / WERE

I / he / she / it / singualr subject --> WAS

you / we / they / plural subject --> WERE

Ms. Eng is not in, but she will be back in a while.

IN A WHILE = 不久后= future action --> Simple Future

BE + Simple Future

--> WILL BE / SHALL BE

The grocery shop does not provide free delivery services.

A fact --> Simple Present

NOT VERB + Simple PRESENT

--> DO NOT VERB / DOES NOT VERB

记得！DO NOT / DOES NOT + 动词原形

(Bare-infinitive)

The earth is not flat.

地球不是平的 = truth--> Simple Present

NOT BE + Simple PRESENT

--> IS NOT / AM NOT / ARE NOT

I will not go to bed unless you tell me the story.

UNLESS + Simple Present --> Simple Future

记得！WILL / SHALL + 动词原形

(Bare-infinitive)

Josephine did not go to school because she was ill.

WAS = PAST ACTION --> Simple Past

NOT VERB + Simple Past

--> DID NOT VERB

记得！DID NOT + 动词原形 (Bare-infinitive)

Did the girls go shopping last Saturday?

LAST SATURDAY = PAST ACTION --> Simple Past

Question? + Simple Past

--> DID (subject) VERB....?

记得！DID + 动词原形 (Bare-infinitive)

Shall we visit Peter tonight?

TONIGHT = FUTURE ACTION --> Simple Future

Question? + Simple Future

--> WILL / SHALL (subject) VERB....?

记得！WILL / SHALL + 动词原形 (Bare-infinitive)